Articles
Apprenticeships get a $3350 Kickstart
The federal government has announced it will double the incentive paid to employers for an additional 21,000 electricians, plumbers and other construction tradespeople. [ + ]
Call for reform to cut red tape
The National Electrical and Communications Association (NECA) is calling for policy and regulatory reforms to cut the increasing amount of government red tape that is costing electrical and communications contractors both time and money. [ + ]
Installation guidelines a joint initiative from AFAC & ASIAL
AFAC and ASIAL have guidelines intended to assist security companies to install, service and monitor smoke detectors/sensors connected to security alarm systems in an appropriate manner, without detailed knowledge of fire alarm standards, individual state regulations or building codes. [ + ]
Labelling in electrical environments
The ideal printing system for labelling components in electrical environments is chosen based on workflows and print volume. Requirements regarding materials and the durability of the print result are determined by the application. [ + ]
Cabling the cloud
In its simplest sense, the ‘cloud’ in the context of ‘cloud computing’ can be viewed as a alternative term for the internet. In the perfect vision of a cloud-based world, the size, power and location of network devices is not a concern for the user. Once the user has plugged into the cloud, the transmission, receiving and storing of data takes place without any concern for the mechanics of how this happens. This concept has long been accepted in the consumer world, but now cloud service providers are applying a similar philosophy to the business world. [ + ]
Standby power energy savings
The Australian designed EcoSwitch eliminates standby power used by appliances and equipment when they are plugged in, but not in use. EcoSwitch plugs in between a power point and power board and is designed so that users can switch off all appliances or equipment easily. [ + ]
‘Self healing’ key to meeting smart grid promise
While smart meters receive the hype, reclosers are the true building blocks of the intelligent electrical distribution grid, underpinning its reliability. [ + ]
Green thumbs up for site office
Most site huts occupied by building construction companies are very basic. Kettles and fridges are usually the only concessions to comfort while little consideration is given to conserving energy, as most adopt a “Will the last person shut the lights off?” approach. [ + ]
Managing carbon emissions and energy consumption in the data centre
Rising power costs, a new energy rating system and the tax on emissions are forcing data centre operators to make energy management a key priority. An electrical contractor could play a key role in this area by helping data centre managers review, control and monitor energy usage. [ + ]
Trends in fibre and copper cabling termination
In the contractor world, the termination process is probably the most important aspect of network installation. In this article, Mark Putica explains pros, cons and trends in cable termination and installation to help you make the right decision. [ + ]
Weathering tough times: the value of membership
It is sad to admit that 2012 has not been the best year for Australian businesses - be they big or small. In fact, the past 12 months have been one of the most difficult years for businesses in recent times. [ + ]
When 10 GB isn’t actually 10 GB
Over the years Matrium Technologies has been asked to benchmark many customer networks using its suite of traffic generation tools, capable of producing 1 GB through to 100 GB of network traffic. Every customer’s network is different and therefore results are never the same. One thing is the same though - the infrastructure you’re about to purchase won’t perform as per the data sheet. [ + ]
Lighting up Eden Park
Stadia are more than just sportsgrounds, they are ‘theatres of dreams’. Increasingly, lighting is being used to provide additional emotional impact as modern-day gladiators take to the field in battle.
[ + ]Is going ‘off the grid’ easier than you think?
It’s no secret that energy prices are on the rise, thanks largely to steeper network and distribution costs, resulting in an interest in alternative energy supplies and ways to reduce reliance on the big energy providers - but how easy is it to ‘get off the grid’? [ + ]
Victoria’s decision to cut feed-in tariff has industry concerned
The Victorian Government will be closing the Transitional Feed-in Tariff by 30 September 2012. This tariff offers eligible properties with small-scale solar PV systems of five kilowatts or less a minimum credit of 25 cents per kilowatt hour for excess electricity fed back into the grid. [ + ]